Base feeding mechanism



May 16, 1933. W. MAKENNY BASE FEEDING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 3, 1950 &

INVENTOR M MH/r E IV/V V. /W a ATTORNEY May 16, 1933.

w. MAKENNY BASE FEEDING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 3, 1930 ill'lillllllm INVENTOR W. M KENNY- ATTOR Y Patented May 16, 1933 V UNITED STATES PATENT o rIcE WILLIAM MAKENNY, F MOUNTAIN" VIEW, NEYV JERSEY, ASSIGLNOR TO WES'LING- HOUSE LAMP COMPANY, A CORPORATION 013 PENNSYLVANIA BASE FEEDING MECHANISM Application fiie d Februar'y s, 1930. Serial No. 425,452.

This invent-i011 relates tolarticle feeding mechanism and relates more particularly to a machine for feeding positioned radio tube bases.

\Vhen handling articles of unsymmetrical form for subsequent operations it is necessary in order to meet highspeed production to provide automatic means for positioning the articles in a predetermined arrangement.

In the manufacture of radio tubes or similar devices employing a cup shaped base portion, it is essential to be able to arrange the bases with their open ends up for appli- V cation to a machine for securing a plurality of contact pins to the bottom walls of the bases and the present invention is of considerable advantage when used in conjunction with apin staking machine, such for example, as shown in copending application, Serial No. 362,110 filed Hay 10, 1929.

In the staking machine mentioned it is necessary to provide means whereby bases may be promisouously deposited in a hopper and fed in an unorderly arrangement to mechanism which will deliver bases in a predetermined position tothe staking machine or to other mechanism.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide means for delivering bases disposed in predetermined positions from one machine to another.

Another object of the invention may comprise means for selecting bases having predetermined positions from a quantity of promiscuously deposited bases.

' Another object of the invention may comprise mechanism whereby articles may be moved through a given path and separated into groups according to their position during movement.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be apparent from the following description together with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view partly in section of a mechanism for receiving bases and for.

selecting bases having predetermined posit1ons.

Fig. 2 1s a sectional v ew taken on l ne Fig. 3 showing a base in a predetermined.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view taken on'line III-III in Fig. 2. i

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line IV-IV in position.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a base ready to be discarded and V Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a base in position ready to be discarded;

Although the present invention may be used for feeding cup shaped articles for various uses the selected embodiment of the invention illustrates thevsame for handling the base portions of radiotubes. It will be understood that a radio tube base or a base for a'similar device comprises a cylindrical cup shaped element'into which'the neclcof a'bulb is inserted and secured when the device is complete.

It is necessary, however, to provide the bases with a plurality of contact elements and inasmuch as the machine for applying these elements operates automatically it is necessary to move the bases into the machine while the bases are in predetermined or definite positions. v

The present construction, therefore, operates to feed bases with their open ends up and may comprise hopper 10, a conveyor 11, a selecting mechanism 12 and a base receiving means 13. A quantity of bases 14 may be deposited in the hopper 10 which has an outlet 15 adjacent to one end 16 of the conveyor l1. 7

The conveyor may be disposed in an inclined position on shafts 17 and 18. The shaft 17 may be connected by a beltfl9 to transmit motion from any suitable source as for example a motor (not shown). The conveyor moves in the direction of the arrow X and as the bases issue from the outlet 15 a distributor or paddle wheel 21 operates to distribute the bases more evenly on the conveyor and aids in causing a relatively large number of bases to take positions with their ends up. The paddle Wheel 21 maybe mounted on a shaft 22 and driven by means of a belt 23 connected with a pulley 24 rotatable with the driving shaft 17. The bases travel upward y with the conveyor to a whereby bases which, if disposed on the iconveyor in a position with their open ends up, pass directly down the guide on to the receiving means 13. If a base has fallen on its side, that is with its longitudinal axis substantially parallel to its path of movement with the conveyor, means are'provided adjacent to the base receiving means for ejecting the base. i If the base travels along the conveyor with its closed end upward, means are also provided adjacent to the receiving means 13 for discarding such base. As shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 5 bases travelling with their closed end up pass over a pocket 29 having a lip 31 which holds one-side of the base and permits the base to tip sidewise and be discharged from the conveyor into a suitable chute 32. If the base travels along the conveyor while disposed on its side it. is ejected by an arm 33. This arm is slidable in the direction of the arrow Y across the path of movement of the bases and is reciprocated continually in a slide bearing .34 by means of a barrel cam 35.

The connection between the slidable arm and the barrel cam may comprise a lever member 36 pivoted at 37 and having a roller 38 at one end movable upon a cam surface 39 of the cam 35.

The opposite end of the lever-member may be connected by a universal joint 41 with one end of a link 42, the opposite end of the link 42 may be attached by means of a universal joint 43 to the slidable arm 33. A spring 44 secured to the link 42 operates to move the slidablearm 33 in one direction andthe barrel cam .35 which may be attached to shaft 18 operates to effect an opposite movement of the arm Inasmuch as the mechanism provides a double path for the movement of bases a second arm 45 similar. to the arm 33 is provided to sweep across the other path of movement of the bases.

The bases handled by the present machine have a diameter greater than their length so that if a base is turned with its open end up or with its closed end up while moving through their respective paths the arms 33 and 45 will pass over the tops of the bases. If, therefore, a base is lying on its side in either of the said paths the arms- 33 or 45 will upon their movement across the path fthe lea e operate t remove t e ame;

From the foregoing it will be evident that with the present machine bases may be fed haphazardly or promiscuously into a hopper and on to a movable conveyor. A certain percentage of the bases on the conveyor will fall with their open ends up. These bases which are in predetermined positions will be selected by the present mechanism and transferred to the base receiving means for subsequent operations. Other bases which fall on the conveyor with their open ends down or on their side will be discarded and may be collected in receptacles and returned to the hopper.

By this construction manual operation of selecting bases is eliminated thus reducing cost and making it possible to feed properly positioned bases atrelatively high speed.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it Will be understood that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention'as set forth in the appended claims.

' lVhat is claimed is t 1. A machine for separating bases accordingoto their positions comprising a base receiving plate, means for promiscously disposing bases on said plate, an ejector arm for discharging in one direction bases having their axes parallel to said plate, a cam member, means for holding said arm in contact with said cam and J means for actuating said cam, said plate having an outlet for the passage of other bases in another direction.

2. A machine for feeding cup shaped articles with their open ends up comprising a conveyor for moving articles promiscously disposed thereon, a plate for receiving articles from said conveyor, said plate having a cut away portion to permit the passage therethrough of articles disposed with their bottom sides up, an ejector arm for ejecting articles resting on their sides, and means for receiving articles with their open sides up.

3. In combination with a conveyor for moving promiscously disposed bases, a plate to receive bases, said plate having an aperture for'the passage of bases disposed with their open ends up in one direction. and a spring actuated 'member for discharging other bases in another direction.

4. A machine comprising a conveyor, means for promiscously disposing bases on said conveyor, an inclined plate to receive said bases, means for discharging bases-having their open ends down from said plate and a movable member for ejecting from said plate bases disposed with their longitudinal axis parallel to said plate.

5. Base feedingmechanism comprising an inclined plate, means for delivering promiscously positioned bases to said plate, said plate having a pocket for the discharge of bases m ving w th th r p n end incontact with said plate and a movable member for engaging bases having their longitudinal axis in planes parallel to the surface of said plate.

6. Base feeding mechanism comprising an inclined plate, means for delivering promiscously positioned bases to said plate, said plate having a pocket for the discharge of bases moving with their open ends in contact with said plate and a movable member for engaging bases having their longitudinal axis in planes parallel to the surface of said plate, base receiving means and means for guiding bases having their open ends up to said base receiving means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 21st day of January WILLIAM MAKENN Y. 

